Title : Hidden salt in the Italian diet: The contribution of artisanal bread and bakery products
Abstract:
Bread is a staple food in Italy, as well as in many European countries, and represents a major source of dietary salt (NaCl). Italian consumers mainly eat fresh, unpackaged artisanal bread and bakery products such as focaccia, breadsticks, and taralli. According to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, nutritional labeling is not required for these unpackaged products; consequently, their salt content is not declared. The aim of this study was to determine the NaCl content in artisanal unpackaged bakery products and to compare it with the NaCl content (as declared on the label) of industrially produced packaged bakery products. Fresh unpackaged products generally exhibited higher NaCl values (approximately 1.84 g/100 g) compared to packaged products (approximately 1.65 g/100 g). An exception was observed for focaccia, for which packaged products showed markedly higher salt concentrations than unpackaged ones (2.65 vs 1.78 g/100 g, respectively). Low-moisture products (breadsticks, taralli, and crackers) displayed salt contents of approximately 2% in both artisanal and industrial samples. Current dietary recommendations suggest not exceeding 2.0 g/day of sodium intake, which corresponds to approximately 5 g/day of NaCl. Considering that the average consumption of bread in Italy is about two servings per day (approximately 100 g), the contribution of bakery products to overall salt intake should be carefully considered, and the NaCl content in these products should possibly be reduced.
